Playing attachment for zithers and other stringed musical instruments.



B. .6: G. ZENDRON. PLAYING ATTACHMENT FOR ZI'I'HERS AND OTHER STRINGED MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS.

APPLIQATION FILED JULY 21, 1909 Patented Feb. 14, 1911.

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B. & G. ZENDRON. PLAYING ATTACHMENT FOR ZITHBBS AND OTHER STRINGED MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS.

APPLIQATION FILED JULY 21, 1909 984,176. Patented-Feb.14,1911.

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B. & G. ZENDRON.

PLAYING ATTACHMENT FOB. ZITHBRS AND OTHER STRINGED MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 21, 1909 984,176. I Patented Feb. 14,1911.

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UNITED strnrns i ngrnnr oFFIoE.

IBENIAMINO ZENDRON AND GIUSEPPE ZENDRON, OF FARR, COLORADO.

PLAYING ATTACHMENT FOR ZITHERS AND OTHER STRINGED MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS.

Application filed July 21,

T 0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, BENIAMINO ZnNDnoN and Giusnrrn Znnonon, subjects of the Emperor of Austria-Hungary, residing at Farr, county of Huerfano, State of Colorado, have invented certain new and useful Improve ments in Playing Attachments for Zithers and other Stringed Musical Instruments, of which the following is a specification.

Our invention relates to improvements in playing attachn'ients for Zithers and similar stringed musical instruments. and the objects of our invention are,-iirst, to provide a key means of playing and operating the strings of a musical. instrument known as a zither, or similar instruments; second, to provide means for applying the tremolo to the strings so played, when desired; third, to provide a means for playing such stringed instrument so as to have a wider range of expression; and fourth, to arrange the strings in combination with our device so that an accompaniment to the melody may be played. Vi e attain these objects by the mechanisms illustrated in the accompanying drawings in which,

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a zither with. our attachment thereon shown in partly broken sect-ion; Fig. 2 is a vertical cross section view on line 22 of Fig. 1 showing the keys, tremolo attachment, and the relation to the strings of the instrument; Fig. 8 is a top plan view showing the keys and tremolo attaclnnent; Fig. 1 is a cross sectional view longitudinally through the key board showing the detail of the pickers for the melody and harmony or accompaniment strings; Fig. 6 is a detail elevation showing the relation of the keys, the tremolo attachment and means for engaging and disengaging the same; Fig. 7 is a cross sectional view from the side showing the pickers in an extreme downward movement; Fig. 8 is a similar view showing the picker in the opposite position from the one shown 111 Fig. 7 Fig. 9 is a sectional side view showlng the picking attachment; Fig. 10 is a perspective view partly in broken section showing the detail of the picking mechanism; Fig. 11 is a perspective view in broken section showing the means of engaging and disengaging the tremolo attachment; Fig. 12 is a perspective view in broken section showing the opposite end of the means of engaging and disengaging the tremolo attachment from that shown in Fig. 11; and Fig. 13 is a sectional detail Specification of Letters Patent.

1909. Serial No. 508,839.

of the bridge at the head of the instrument showin the arrangement of the harmony or accompaniment strings. Fig. 14: is a front elevation of a fragment of the key-frame the picker fingers.

Similar numerals refer to similar parts throughout the several views.

The body of the instrument comprises a sounding board 1, sides 2, and a bottom 2 Two groups of strings are provided, said groups being denoted by the reference characters 13 and 8, respectively, in Fig. 1, the former being the melody strings, and the latter the harmony or accompaniment strings. At the head or upper end of the instrument is a bridge 9 and at the opposite end abridge 7 for the strings. Across the last-mentioned end of the instrument extends a bar 7 carrying pins 7* for securing one end of the strings. The other ends of the strings are secured to tuning pins 9 located adjacent to the bridge 9.

The strings of the group 13 range through the musical scale, and the strings of the group 8 are arranged in sets of three as indicated at 11 in Figs. 4 and 13, each of such sets of three strings being tuned to form a. musical chord. The strings 11 are arranged in rows perpendicular to the sounding board, and a little to one sideof each row, and in the same horizontal plane as the lowermost string thereof, is located a single string 10 which is tuned to form the bass tone of the chord. Each set of three strings is provided with a bass string. In order that the strings 10 and 11 may pass the bridge 9, the latter has openings through which the strings 10, and the two lowermost ones of the strings 11 pass, the upper one of said strings 11 extending across the top of the bridge as usual. Fig. 13 clearly illustrates this arrangement.

At the tail of the instrument is attached a board 3 extending upward a suitable dis tance, and from the top of it extends a cover 12 which connects with a key-frame 12, which latter is attached to the instrument in front of the bridge 7, and has its front por' tion closed with a suitable finishing'board arranged so as not to touch the strings.

The picking mechanism comprises the following devices: In the top of the key-frame 12 is an opening 14: extending perpendicularly to the strings and terminating in a shoulder 15 from which the opening is continued through the board to the bottom showing certain parts which cooperate with thereof. The continuation 17 of the opening is angular for a purpose to be presently de scribed. A. stem 20 is loosely mounted inthe opening 1%, and has a portion 19 which is angular in cross-section and extends through the part 1'? of the opening, with a sliding fit. Rotation of the stem is prevented by the angular shape of the portion 19 and the part 1'? in which it is mounted. The upper end of the stem is provided with a key or button 21, below which the stem has shoulders and 23. Between the shoulder 15 and the shoulder 23, a spring 16 is coiled around the stem. The lower end of the por tion 1'? of the stem is bifurcated. andbetween the two branches 2t thus formed is pivoted, as indicated at a picker finger 26. the latter having a reduced portion 2? extending between the branches 2%, through which latter and the reduced portion of the pick r finger, the pivot 25 passes. The opening 17, on the side farthest from the string to be picked, is formed with a pocket 18 in which is made fast, by a screw or other suitable means 30, one end of a spring 9.). the free end of which is in contact with the picker finger adjacent to its pivot The lower end of the opening 17, on the same side as the pocket 18, is also enlarged on one side to leave space for he movement of the picker finger, and in the adjacent wall of the opening is a recess which extends to the bottom of the keyframe 19. and contains a block spaced at its upper end from the corresponding end of the recess. From one side of the finger 26 extends a pin 31 which works in the recess 32. T he lower end or tip of the finger 2G is cut on a slant so as to extend at an oblique angle to the string.

In operation, the spring 16 normally holds the picker finger 26 in elevated position by reason of its engagement with the shoulder 23 of the stem 20. In this position, the pin 31 is on th. t side of the block 32 which is nearest the string which the picker finger is to sound and the finger tip is opposite the string. Now, when the key 21 is pressed downwardly, the finger is moved perpendicularly to the string, and in the direction thereof, and the tip of the finger slides over the string and pushes it slightly to one side, the pin 31 in the meantime traveling downwardly in the recess 32% on the side of the block. Vhen this pin reaches the lower end of the block the free end of the spring 29 engages the portion 27 of the finger above the pivot 25. so that when the pin clears the lower end of the block. the spring suddenly swings the finger on its pivot away from the string, thereby causing the latter to sound. The pin is now in line with that portion of the recess 32 which is on the other side of the block. so that when the key 21 is released, the finger rises, and the pin travels upwardly along that side of the block. When the pin reaches the upper end of the block, the spring 29 engages the finger below its pivot, so that when the pin clears said upper end of the block, the linger swings on its pivot in a direction to bring the pin in line with that portion of the recess 32 which it occupied before the key was depressed. It will therefore be seen that the pin travels downwardly in the recess on one side of the block and crosses the lower end thereof, and then travels in vardly in the recess on the other side of the locl-:, and thence crosses the upper endv thereof, and finally resumes its position on the first-mentioned side of the block at the upper end of the recess.

The harmony or accompaniment strings have three tips 1 arranged so that all of the three strings will be picked practically simultaneous 1 thus sounding the same together, and producing a musical chord.

A tremolo attachment is provided for the melody strings. This attachment comprises a block t which is pivoted at one of its lower ends on a rod 5 extending across the instrument near the foot tl ereof, and mounted in suitable supports thereon. At the opposite upper end of the block is a horizontally extending finger (3. the extremity of which is located beneath the shoulder The lower portion of the block, at that end carrying the finger, is brought to a point t that it may come in contact with that portion of the string which is between the bridge 7 and the pin 7 The relative position of the shoulder 22 and. the finger (3 is such that the string is sounded before the shoulder engages the finger. A further depression of the key engages the shoulder with the tinger, whereupon the block swings downwardly and its point presses the string between the bridge 7 and the pin 7 and a continued rapid tremulous downward pressure on the key causes the string to be sounded tremolo. It will be understood, of course, that each melody string is equipped with the herein-described tremolo attachment.

In order to throw the tremolo attachment out of action, there is provided a rod 39 which extends beneath the fingers 6. This rod is attached to one end of a bell-crank lever 34: having a handle 38, and pivoted at 35 to the side 2 of the instrument. the opposite end of the rod being connected to a link 3-1: pivoted at I t to the other side of the instrument, as shown in Fig. 12. By means of this lever, the rod may be elevated sutliciently' to engage the bottom of the fingers (3, as shown in Fig. 6. thus locking the block and preventing its downward swing. Upon swinging the rod to the dotted position in Fig. 6, away from the fingers, the blocks are released. and the tremolo attachment may be actuated as already described. A cam 36,

pivoted at 37, to the side 2, is provided for locking the bell-crank lever.

e claim:

1. A keyed zither or other musical instrument having strings arranged in groups, the strings of the respective groups being tuned to form a chord when sounded simultaneously, picker fingers for said groups, said picker fingers having a plurality of tips to engage the respective strings of the groups to sound the same simultaneously, and actuating means for the lingers.

2. In a keyed zither or other musical instrument, the combination with a sounding board and strings, a portion of the strings being arranged in rows extending perpendicular to the sounding board; of picker fingers for the strings, the fingers of the rows of strings having a plurality of tips to engage the respective strings of the rows, to sound the same simultaneously, and means for actuating the fingers.

3. In a keyed zither or other musical instrui'nent, the combination with a sounding board and strings, bridges over which the strings pass, and end tastenings for the strings; of picker fingers for the strings, means for actuating the fingers, said means including a shouldered sliding stem, and a tremolo device comprising members adapted to engage the strings between one of the bridges and the adjacent end fastenings, said members having a projection extending into the path of the shoulder of the sliding stem.

l. In a keyed Zither or other musical instrument, the combination with a sounding board and strings, bridges over which the strings pass, and end fastenings for the strings; of picker fingers for the strings, means for actuating the lingers, said means including a shouldered sliding stem, and a tremolo device comprising members adapted to engage the strings between one of the bridges and the adjacent end fastenings, said members having a projection extending into the path of the shoulder of the sliding stem, and means for holding the members in inoperative position.

In a keyed Zither or other musical instrument, the combination with a sounding board and strings, bridges over which the strings pass, and end tastenings for the strings; of picker lingers for the strings, means for actuating the fingers, said means including a shouldered sliding stem, and a tremolo device con'iprising pivoted members adapted to engage the strings between one of the bridges and the adjacent end fastenings, said members having a projection extending into the path of the shoulder of the sliding stem, a rod extending beneath the members for locking the same, and means for actuating the rod to release the members.

BENIAMINP ZENDRON.

GIUSEPPE ZENDRON. Witnesses J. N. CARMEAU, P. T. OAVANAUGH. 

